Pastor's Message

Masses for Homes and Neighborhoods

Father Ryan is interested in coming to your home, within your neighborhood, with an invitation extended to parishioners or Catholics that are not as close to the Church as they once were as well as neighbors of good will to come to your homes and to offer Mass and faith discussion. If any family is interested in hosting this faith gathering, please call Father Ryan directly at (847) 726-4723 or e-mail publicrelations@stfrancislz.org.

Feedback Forum for the FaithfulShare your story with Father Ryan

In an effort to reach out to those who have walked away from the Church, Father David F. Ryan, Pastor, would like to hear from those individuals. If you or someone you know is one and is reading this request, Father Ryan welcomes the opportunity to get to know you, share in a discussion and offer guidance to any questions you may have about our Catholic faith. You are encouraged to contact Father Ryan at his direct line, (847) 726-4723. Father Ryan's hope is that this Feedback Forum for the Faithful will provide an open setting where individuals can be honest in expressing their reason(s) for separating from the Church, ask questions and, hopefully, return as Catholics. Please consider participation, once again, in the Church of your Baptism. In an effort to best meet your needs, please provide your name and contact information if you send an e-mail or leave a voicemail for Father Ryan. All dialogue will be kept confidential.

About our Pastor, Father David F. Ryan...

Fr. David Francis Ryan was ordained a priest at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Springfield, Illinois on June 2, 1979 for the Springfield Diocese. He offered his First Mass at his home parish, Our Savior, in Jacksonville, Illinois. He attended both the parish grade school and Routt Catholic High School in Jacksonville. Fr. Ryan graduated from Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois with a B. A. in History.Fr. Ryan studied for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri after he graduated from college. His first assignment as a priest was as Associate Pastor at St. Ambrose Parish in Godfrey, Illinois in 1979.

In 1982, Fr. Ryan was named Executive Director of the Catholic Children’s Home in Alton, Illinois as well as Associate Director of Catholic Charities for the Springfield Diocese. He also taught religion classes at Marquette Catholic High School in Alton for four years and served as chaplain for the school’s athletic teams.

Fr. Ryan was named Assistant Executive Director of Maryville Academy in Des Plaines in 1985 and incardinated as a priest of the Chicago Archdiocese in 1989 by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin. While assigned to management and operations at Maryville, Fr. Ryan continued his education and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 1994 from Chicago Loyola University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago in 1996.In December of 2003, Fr. Ryan was named Acting Executive Director of Maryville. For twenty years, Fr. Ryan served the Maryville Mission with Fr. John P. Smyth, the Executive Director, in advocating for the necessary programs and protection of abused, abandoned and neglected youth in Chicago and Illinois through the twenty Maryville sites in Des Plaines, Chicago, Bartlett, Maywood, Durand and the summer camp in Eagle River, Wisconsin. At the time, Maryville was serving 1100 infants, children and youth with a staff of 900 and an annual budget of over $60,000,000. Fr. Ryan also served as Assistant Director of the Catholic Youth Organization of the Archdiocese of Chicago when appointed in 1991 by Joseph Cardinal Bernardin.

From January through July of 2005, Fr. Ryan was assigned as Parochial Administrator of St. Emily Parish in Mount Prospect, Illinois. He continued to assist at the parish until appointment as Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, effective July 1, 2006.

Pictured on Left: His Eminence, Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archibishop of Chicago with our Pastor, Father David F. Ryan, Michael Carlino, Chair of the Parish Finance Council, and Douglas Samz, member of the Parish Finance Council. (Taken December 9, 2010 at the Lumen Cordium Society of the Annual Catholic Appeal.)